


Draughts

by Rhadamantelope



Category: Portal (Video Game)
Genre: Backstory, F/M, Human Cores, Human Wheatley, Pre-Game(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-11
Updated: 2015-03-11
Packaged: 2018-03-17 08:11:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3521903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rhadamantelope/pseuds/Rhadamantelope
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which a human Wheatley shows Caroline a game not quite of his own invention.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Draughts

**Author's Note:**

> This is almost entirely headcanon, and goes hand in hand with the silly theory from "Isolation and the Art of Stargazing".  
> I was also tempted to tag this as Wheatley/GlaDOS as well, but I don't even know if it would count as that at this point.

It was difficult for most, upon making the acquaintance of James Wheatley, to believe that he had studied at University of Bristol. Of course, the accent was somewhat telling, but seeing him attempt to stand up and walk away while still tethered to a computer by the cord of his headphones crushed the illusion of a refined English gentleman almost immediately.

Still, Aperture Science had seen some potential in him, perhaps due to the fact that he was better in front of a computer than a crowd. They had put him in an office on one of the lower levels of the facility, which was already home to Rick Jones (an engineer), Craig Farnsworth (another computer scientist) and occasionally Kevin Sawyer (an intern). And, despite his tendency to lose his own papers among Rick’s blueprints and Craig’s independent research (on whales of all things), Dr. James Wheatley typed out line after line of code dutifully, absolutely sure that his work made a difference in the progress of science.

Every so often, Caroline Turner would come down from two floors above to survey the work of each scientist. Wheatley noted that her visits followed an irregular pattern, but averaged out to about twice a week. She seemed to prefer Wednesdays and Fridays.

She never said much when she came down, but often lingered to observe their work, even offering constructive criticism to Rick regarding his defensive robot plans. Wheatley found he rather enjoyed having her around, and frequently tried to explain his own projects to her. (Though he was sure she already knew everything about them; Caroline was, as Cave Johnson put it, “married to science”.)

Craig tutted at him once she left.

"Don’t think I can’t see how you act around her," he said. Wheatley frowned, turning away from the monitor and pushing his glasses up.

"Beg your pardon?"

"I think Rick is starting to rub off on you," Craig sniffed. "Don’t go flirting with Mr. Johnson’s secretary, Wheatley."

Across the room, Rick guffawed through the pen clenched between his teeth.

"As if he’s smooth enough to flirt. Get a grip, Farnsworth."

Craig bristled.

"Why don’t you mind your own business, Jones? Go back to designing robots filled with bullets."

"Speak for yourself," Rick snorted. "And having all those bullets is a better concept than it seems. Quantity and quality all in one, if you catch my drift.”

With that, Rick returned to his sketch and Craig, muttering, spun his chair back around to focus once again on his own computer.

Wheatley cast a sidelong glance in Kevin’s direction. The intern had sat quietly in the corner of the office for the past twenty minutes, two coffee cups in his hands. He offered one to Wheatley, who took it knowing fully well that it would be only lukewarm.

It was half an hour until he had to leave, and he only then realized that tomorrow was Friday.

Wheatley was the first one at the office that Friday, which was a rare occurrence for him. He was used to Craig being there at least an hour earlier, staring at him disapprovingly as he sat down.

Not ten minutes after he was seated, the sound of heels clicking on tile echoed outside. He didn’t look up, but the tiniest of smiles found its way to his mouth.

Caroline knocked lightly on the door with the back of her hand. Wheatley beckoned her inside, knocking over a cup of pencils in the process.

He watched her make her way inside and lean on the desk opposite him.

"Sorry to say, but not much has changed since Wednesday," he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I didn’t think so," replied Caroline. She pushed her dark hair off her face. "Mr. Johnson just likes me to be thorough."

She paused.

"Are you the only one here right now?"

Wheatley felt his face heat up, and immediately mentally scolded himself for such a vulgar misinterpretation of her question.

"Oh, yes, why?"

"Nothing, I was just used to Craig being the first one to come in."

"So am I."

She laughed, and Wheatley found that he rather enjoyed the sound. He didn’t hear it often.

"I know I said that not much has changed since Wednesday," he said. "But, if you have the time, I’d like to, ah, show you something. On the computer." He pointed, somewhat unnecessarily, for emphasis.

"Certainly."

"Brilliant! Just a moment here…"

Wheatley fumbled with the buttons on the computer before managing to turn the power on. It was a few awkward minutes before the computer fully booted up. Tapping his fingers on the desk, Wheatley started the desired program and moved out of the way to present it with a grin. On the screen, the virtual image of a black and white board appeared.

"It’s…checkers?"

"Yes!" he said excitedly. "Been programming a fairly simple automated game over the past couple months…"

"A couple months? Really?"

"Er…okay, well, maybe more like a year. But still, I finished the prototype, which you see here!"

Caroline leaned in.

"Would you mind if I…?"

"Not at all!" Wheatley stood up quickly and offered her his seat. He bent over her as she clicked the screen a few times. "There you are, just move your pieces to the corresponding colored squares…the computer program will make its own moves in response…"

The dark-haired woman turned her head slightly to look at him with an expression halfway between amusement and irritation.

"Dr. Wheatley," she said. "I know how to play checkers."

He blushed and straightened up.

"I-of course, I didn’t mean to come off as, ah, what’s the word? Condescending? That’s seems like the one. Most certainly did not mean to be…that…" Wheatley trailed off as Caroline claimed the simulated opponent’s last piece. She stood up with a coy smile.

"I am quite impressed. Your programming skills are beyond what I expected, Dr. Wheatley."

"Thank you, I’ll, erm, have to make the machine a bit smarter for next time I suppose." he responded, then promptly bit his tongue. What was he thinking, referring to a "next time"? Perhaps Rick had been rubbing off on him after all…

"Do be careful what you do with your machines, though." She said.

"Of c-c-course," he stammered, still slightly appalled at the speed with which Caroline had beaten the computer. He cleared his throat and trotted a few steps behind as she left the office. "And Miss Turner—"

"Just Caroline, if you will."

Wheatley blinked.

"You would be willing to play again, w-wouldn’t you?"

Caroline smiled.

"It would be my pleasure. But I should warn you," She tilted her head up proudly and adjusted the red handkerchief at her neck. "I would wager that I could beat any computer."

She turned on her heel, leaving James Wheatley with a dumb half-smile on his pale face and half a million new ideas in his head.

**Author's Note:**

> On another note, I had an absolute ball writing this. Wheatley's a fun character to write, and I feel like he really brings out the best in other characters (even if it is through his being awkward and a little irritating...)


End file.
